Those who are lucky enough to buy a car nowadays can count on a quality infotainment system that is already present, compatible with Android and iOS smartphones, but not only. But if you are among those users who have an old car, without Bluetooth and other technological gems, fortunately there are aftermarket solutions, such as those proposed by LAMTTO, which allow you to transform an old multimedia system into a modern and up-to-date solution with an expense that is, all in all, quite modest. Today we discover together the LAMTTO RC13 which also has the integration of a dashcam capable of capturing videos in 4K.
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Hardware and Installation
The product that LAMTTO sent me to test has the acronym RC13 in its name and is a touch monitor with a 9″ inch display that does not require any particular skills in installation, which in fact takes place by means of a bracket with a suction cup to be anchored to the windshield of your car or via an adhesive bracket to be anchored to the surface of the dashboard, in practice a plug & play solution, since the only connection you will have to make is that of the power supply, again quite simple since you just need to insert the power supply into the cigarette lighter socket of the car, with a very long cable that ends with a USB Type-C connector. This also means that if you already have a smartphone charger in the car, you could even use that.
The sales package is definitely complete, since in addition to what has already been indicated (double anchor bracket and power supply), it also contains a replacement sticker for the fixed bracket, a series of cable loops for accurate cable management but also a waterproof rear parking camera capable of recording at 1080p with AV connection. Only in this case, if you are not an expert, you will need the help of a technician but only if you want the rear camera to be connected to the reverse gear control. Finally, there is an AUX cable for connecting systems not equipped with Bluetooth or for connecting to the car's car radio, if it has this type of output, manuals and a plastic tool for passing the cables through the car's plastic parts.
LAMTTO RC13 presents itself as a 9-inch diagonal monitor with a resolution of 1024×600 pixels whose maximum brightness is not very high but still able to offer excellent readability of the contents on the screen even under direct sunlight. We still find a light sensor that automatically adjusts the brightness of the screen based on the ambient light.
On the upper profile we find a button that allows you to temporarily or completely turn off the display. The lower and right profiles are clean while on the left profile, slightly recessed we find some inputs, including a Type-C port for power, AV-IN input for connecting the rear camera, AUX input and finally micro SD input. I also forgot to say that a 64 GB card is already supplied, allowing you to record videos or photos from the rear camera or the standard one.
In fact, on the back of LAMTTO RC13 we find a dashcam with 4K resolution and a viewing angle of 170°. This can be oriented on two axes as well as being adjustable in height via a movable plastic bracket. Finally, on the back we find the grooves for anchoring the brackets.
How it works – User experience
I would like to point out that the power of LAMTTO RC13 also lies in the fact that we can easily install it on any type of car, camper, van. Another strong point lies in the audio management that occurs through 4 different methods: we can transmit the audio via Bluetooth from the phone to the car system and therefore delegate the screen to the sole management of the entire interface, we can connect the tablet to the car system via jack cable or transmit via FM by tuning the radio to the right frequency or, in extreme cases, use the integrated speaker of the LAMTTO RC13. The speaker does not have a very high quality and is obviously not comparable in power to the car stereo. Operation via FM suffers from distortions and noise and should be considered as an option in the event that Bluetooth and cable are not usable.
The interface is very simple, providing Android Auto or Carplay connection options and phone screen mirroring. Once connected we are ready to take full advantage of our new on-board computer and entertainment system.
When you turn on the car, LAMTTO RC13 starts automatically and connects to our smartphone by starting, based on the phone we are using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. In my case I had the opportunity to test it with Android and I admit that I was very satisfied with it. The functioning of Android Auto (but also CarPlay), is truly excellent, with a more than satisfactory experience also due to the 9-inch IPS screen which, as already mentioned, is readable in all conditions, even if it is not very bright. The touch also works well, even if it is not always fluid, and this allows us to make the most of all the functions of our smartphones. From the panel, or even via voice commands, we can start applications, listen to music with our favorite apps, read notifications, make calls and use the navigator.
In fact, we find an integrated microphone that offers a decidedly high capture quality, in fact during telephone conversations in the car, my interlocutor did not complain of annoyances or poor audio quality. Even the voice commands are received perfectly. Personally, I have used it a lot for calls, music and navigation. The calls work perfectly and there are no lags, delays or drops in quality. The management of music with the various apps is excellent and has allowed me to completely revolutionize the entertainment system of my car. The operation of the navigation system with Google Maps and Apple Maps is also excellent, everything works great and having such a large display is really convenient when you are driving and do not know the roads well.
An overlay button is added to the system interface that allows us to return to the system home, switch to the dashcam and manage secondary settings. Finally, as anticipated a few lines above, in addition to the classic systems, we can use the screen with the transmission of the display of our phones. In this case, it should be specified that the touch of the LAMTTO RC13 will be useless, since it is a banal replica of the smartphone screen. Furthermore, some apps such as Netflix or Prime Video do not allow viewing of content, protected by DRM. However, you can exploit this potential for full reading of Telegram or Whatsapp or entertain your child with a game but seen on a larger display.
VISIT THE MANUFACTURER'S WEBSITE FOR OTHER PRODUCTS
Price trend
Conclusions and price
I have been looking for a definitive solution for a while now that will allow me to revolutionize the entertainment system of my car. LAMTTO RC13 seems like a good solution to me, since it also integrates a dashcam and all the potential of Android Auto or CarPlay, with extreme ease of use. You can buy it on Amazon at the special price of € 132,99 by redeeming a € 20 discount coupon from the purchase page and then entering the discount code OPUXZ6LK which entitles you to a further 5% price reduction. So what are you still doing here, run and buy it before the offer ends.
